TL1 Corpus Christi Hooks

Game Notes, May 20 at Midland

Published on May 20, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release


Corpus Christi (18-24) @ Midland (22-20)

Jacob Goebbert delivered a game-winning RBI double in the top of the eighth and starter Ross Seaton worked seven strong innings to give Corpus Christi a 5-4 victory here last night over Midland - the Hooks first win at Citibank Ballpark in six tries this season. Goebbert plated Jon Singleton from third. Singleton opened the eighth with a double inside the left field line. Goebbert has hit safely in four straight and has knocked in seven runs in the last seven games.

Seaton allowed four runs, two earned, on seven hits and four walks while striking out five. He retired the last eight men he faced on the way to collecting his third win of the year. Jason Stoffel worked around a hit and a walk over two shutout frames to earn his fifth save. The result puts Corpus Christi at .500 (3-3) on this road trip.

Today's Matchup:

RHP Jose Cisnero (2-4, 5.18) vs. RHP Shawn Haviland (1-3, 5.60)

Cisnero, signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in December of 2007, makes his ninth start this season and his third against the RockHounds. Tuesday at San Antonio, Cisnero had his shortest outing of the season - just 2.1 innings - in a 6-1 loss to the Missions. Cisnero was charged with two earned runs on two hits and three walks while striking out four, but once again the issue was pitch count. Cisnero threw 60 pitches to get those seven outs. The righty jumped out to a 2-1 record with a 1.83 ERA after his first four starts, but in his last four outings, Cisnero is 0-3 with a 10.13 ERA. Last year, as a stalwart in Lancaster's rotation, Cisnero led all Houston farmhands and ranked sixth in the California League with 152 strikeouts. Selected Lancaster's pitcher of the month twice last season (May and July), Cisnero led the JetHawks in starts (27) and tied for the team lead in wins (8).

- Holding TL hitters to a .250 average

- In 2 starts vs. Midland is 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA

- Last year with Lancaster was 8-11 with a 6.06 ERA

Haviland, Oakland's 33rd-round selection in the 2008 draft out of Harvard University, makes his ninth appearance of the season and his sixth start. The Texas League veteran had been splitting starts with Murphy Smith, but now both are in the rotation (Smith starts tomorrow night). Here Tuesday at home against Frisco, Haviland started and tossed three shutout innings, spraying four hits and two walks. The RockHounds went on to lose the game 5-4. In his five starts this year, Haviland is 1-2 with a 6.30 ERA. Now in his fifth professional season, Haviland spent all last year with the RockHounds, going 6-12 with a 7.08 ERA in 27 starts. Haviland holds a degree in Government Studies from Harvard.

- Has not allowed more than 3 runs in any of his last 7 appearances

- Has been much better at home (1-0, 1 save, 1.59 ERA) than on the road (0-3, 1 save, 8.44 ERA)

- Allowed 1 run over 3.0 innings April 25 at Whataburger Field to earn his second save

Goebbert gets it done

Hooks outfielder Jacob Goebbert has come through with some big hits for Corpus Christi in this series. Last night, he provided the game-winning hit in the eighth inning, and Friday night he plated two runs in the ninth to pull the Hooks even. Going back to Corpus Christi's last game in the first series here (May 1-4), Goebbert crunched a game-tying home run in the top of the eighth.

The Northwestern University product has been a consistent producer at the plate for the Hooks over the past week, knocking in runs in six of the last seven games. Goebbert has reached base safely in each of the club's last eight games and has raised his batting average with runners in scoring position to .361 (13x36).

Tight with the Hounds

While the Hooks have played 21 games so far this season that have been decided by five or more runs, Corpus Christi's games with Midland have been, for the most part, good, close games. In fact, five of the last seven games between the two sides have been decided by one run, with the Hooks going 2-3 in those one-run affairs.

For the season, the Hooks are 2-6 in one-run games, so five of the eight one-run games played by the Hooks have come against these RockHounds.

Stoffel streaking

RHP Jason Stoffel notched his first two-inning save of the season here last night. Stoffel has not allowed a run over his last seven appearances, and in that time has given up just five hits and three walks over 8.2 innings. Stoffel currently ranks third in the Texas League among relievers in batting average against (.164) and fewest base runners per nine innings pitched ratio (7.91).

Pitching Rotation at Midland

Monday: LHP Brett Oberholtzer (1-2, 6.18) vs. RHP Murphy Smith (3-0, 2.76)

HOOKS PLAYER NOTES

Brandon Barnes

- Hits in 5 of his last 6 games, 8-23 with 3 doubles, 2 runs and 2 RBIs

- Is 4-14 this road trip with 1 double, 1 run and 1 RBI

- Leads TL in doubles (18)

- Corpus Christi's offensive player of the month in April (.353-4-21, 22 games)

- Named Texas League Co-Player of the Week (April 5-15), hit .432

- Names Texas League Player of the Week (April 16-22), hit .391

- Batting .299(29-97) vs. RHP; .341(15-44) vs. LHP; .308(12-39) w/RISP

Jay Fernandez

- Is 2-10 in his last 4 games with 1 double, 1 HR, 1 run and 2 RBIs

- Has a career caught-stealing percentage of 40.0 (165 of 412)

- In 8 seasons in the Mariners and Twins systems hit .244-16-162 in 439 games

Jacob Goebbert

- Has 4-game hit streak, 6-14 with 1 double, 1 HR, 4 runs and 4 RBIs

- Hits in 6 of the last 7 games, 9-26 w/ 1 double, 1 triple, 1 HR, 4 runs and 7 RBIs

- His walk-off, 3-run HR April 9 the first walk-off HR in his pro career

- Named Texas League Co-Player of the Week (April 5-15), hit .429

- Batting .232(23-99) vs. RHP; .359(14-39) vs. LHP; .361(13-36) w/RISP

Kody Hinze

- Is 3-11 in his last 3 games with 1 walk, 1 run and 4 RBIs

- Is 3-14 this road trip

- Batting .258(16-62) at home; .182(10-55) on the road

- Batting .202(17-84) vs. RHP; .273(9-33) vs. LHP; .162(6-37) w/RISP

- Ranked 4th last year in the minors in walks (94) and 15th in OPS (.961)

Jordan Kreke

- Is 6-19 in his last 9 games with 1 double and 4 runs

- Played 1B May 1 for the first time in his career (replaced Singleton)

- Has 134 career games at 3B, 126 at 2B and 49 at SS

- Originally a 13th-round pick of the Braves in 2009

Jose Martinez

- Has 4-game hit streak, 7-18 with 1 walk, 1 double, 1 triple and 4 runs

- Hits in 10 of the last 13 games, 19-50 with 5 walks, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 10 runs and 5 RBIs

- CC's defensive player of the month in April (47 PO, 56 A, 0 E)

- Batting .296(29-98) vs. RHP; .333(14-42) vs. LHP; .395(15-38) w/RISP

- Played just 6 games in the three-year period 2009-11

Ryan McCurdy

- Hits in 5 of his last 8 games, 8-23 w/ 3 walks, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 3 runs and 5 RBIs

- Was 4-10 in SA series with 2 walks, 1 double, 1 run and 3 RBIs

- Batting .357(10-28) vs. RHP; 0-9 vs. LHP; .250(3-12) w/RISP

- Had played just 2 games w/ Lancaster this season, was 2-3 with 1 HBP

Andy Simunic

- Hits in 5 of the last 6 games, 8-23 with 1 walk, 1 HBP and 5 runs

- 4-RBI night April 21 his first since July 29 last season

- Batting .321(26-81) vs. RHP; .160(4-25) vs. LHP; .200(6-30) w/RISP

- In five pro seasons has bounced into just 11 DPs in 1,356 plate appearances

Jon Singleton

- Has 4-game hit streak, 6-17 with 1 double, 3 runs and 3 RBIs

- Is 8-26 in the last 7 games with 1 double, 1 HR, 5 runs and 8 RBIs

- Batting .341(30-88) vs. RHP; .208(10-48) vs. LHP; .324(12-37) w/RISP

- Has started 27 games at 1B; 10 games in LF

- Ranked by Baseball America as the top prospect in the Astros system

T.J. Steele

- Clubbed CC's first pinch-hit HR of the season April 29 at Frisco

- Is 2-10 this road trip with 1 run

- Batting .167(7-42) vs. RHP; .111(3-27) vs. LHP; .190(4-21) w/RISP

- Tied for fourth on the Hooks all-time stolen base chart with 31

J.C. Thompson

- Pinch-hit, RBI double in the 9th Thursday night a first for the Hooks this season

- Is 2-15(.133) in May with 1 double, 1 run and 1 RBI

- Hit .273-10-46 in 87 games last year with Lancaster and CC

Jonathan Villar

- Hits in 7 of the last 8 games, 9-31 with 3 walks, 1 double, 5 runs and 3 RBIs

- Posted season highs last night for chances (12) and assists (9) at short; TL records for SS in one game is 16 chances and 12 assists (in a 9-inning game)

- Tied for league lead with 17 stolen bases

- Batting .214(21-98) vs. RHP; .255(13-51) vs. LHP; .275(11-40) w/RISP

- Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 4 prospect in the Astros system

Austin Wates

- Hits in 7 of his last 10 games, 13-42 with 3 walks, 1 HBP, 2 triples, 9 runs and 3 RBIs

- Tied for second in the league with 49 hits

- Batting .319(37-116) vs. RHP; .250(12-48) vs. LHP; .351(13-37) w/RISP

- Named Lancaster's MVP in 2011, led the JetHawks in 8 statistical categories

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Texas League Stories from May 20, 2012


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